This is one of my favourite starter recipes, so easy to make.  A great starter for a dinner party served on either Melba toast or brioche bread.  You don’t need to put the clarified butter on top but I think it adds to the luxury of the dish.  Generally you can buy the livers fresh from your butcher or fishmonger, but otherwise can be bought frozen from most supermarkets.  The recipe can be made two days in advance and chilled.

Ingredients

75ml red wine

1 tbsp. brandy

1 shallot sliced

1 clove garlic grated

300g chicken livers

1 tbsp. sunflower oil

2 tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, finely chopped

40 ml double cream

150 g unsalted butter, melted

75 ml clarified butter (melted to top)

Method

1. Tip the wine, brandy, shallot and garlic into a saucepan bring to boil and simmer for about 3-5 minutes until reduced, then set aside to cool
2. Heat the oil in a large frying pan. Once hot, fry the livers for around 1 minute on either side until brown on the outside but still rosy in the middle.  Tip into a colander to remove any excess fat
3. Tip the livers into a food processor along with the cooled red wine mixture adding half the thyme leaves, cream and melted butter. Blend to a fine puree.  Season generously then pour into jar of six ramekins.  Transfer to the fridge to set for 2 hours.
4. Once the parfait is set, sprinkle the remaining thyme leaves on top and spoon over a thin layer of melted clarified butter. Transfer back to the fridge to set.

Clarified butter – to make, warm unsalted butter in a pan over a low hear.  Leave to cool and settle for a couple of minutes, then spoon off the golden clarified butter from the top leaving the milk solids in the pan.